JRS designed a new outreach project that identifies more children and families that need assistance in psychosocial, personal care and education services.

In the northwest of Kenya, 120 km from the
border of South Sudan, lies Kakuma Refugee Camp, home to more than 180,000
refugees from Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, DR Congo, Burundi and South Sudan.
Life in Kakuma isn’t easy for those who live there, having left their homelands
due to war or persecution. Poorly constructed shelters with overstretched water
and sanitation facilities and disease outbreaks make life in the camp harder.

In the middle of such complex challenges,
persons with special needs and disabilities are overlooked and remain the most
vulnerable within the camp. A significant number of children and adults are
exposed to trauma and mental health issues as they face multiple challenges of
violence, poor health and malnutrition. Some are also born with intellectual
developmental delays causing them social, behavioral and communication
challenges. Most people born with development disabilities are stigmatized or
treated differently, causing additional trauma. Sometimes their community
doesn’t accept them or they are seen as a burden.

Jesuit Refugee Service recognized this
deep-rooted problem in Kakuma and for the past 15 years has implemented
educational programs for refugees including those with special needs. JRS tries
to meet the challenges of people with special needs by giving them a space to
be with others that have similar difficulties, creating their own community
together.

Liana Tepperman, Program Officer at Jesuit
Refugee Service/USA, recently visited Kakuma Camp and observed how this
approach changed the lives of many adults and children who otherwise would have
suffered from isolation and idleness. She noticed how the daily activities
structured to engage them with educational and vocational training give them a
sense of belonging and they don’t feel a burden anymore. The training they receive
such as tailoring and bead making also develops their income-generating skills when
they graduate from the program.

As the number of refugee arrivals increases due
to persistent fighting in South Sudan, JRS acknowledged the need to expand and
intensify its program. They designed a new outreach project that identifies
more children and families that need assistance in psychosocial, personal care
and education services. The project also aims to include advocacy activities
that create awareness about disabilities and strives to reduce associated
stigmas.

Starting in January 2017, this pilot project
allows children with special needs and their parents to access education programs
and achieve academic and functional goals that support their future livelihoods.
According to Tepperman, the new center also aims to expand the scope of JRS
services by building a new day care center for these children. This helps to
take them away from crowded classrooms that do not allow them to receive the
special attention they deserve. The center aims to reach an additional 200
students that need individual care and educational services.

The new program also reaches out to children
with physical disabilities through community outreach and referral programs.
Based on educational and functional assessments, these children are provided
with targeted educational interventions depending on their individual needs.

Tepperman explains the new outreach project
includes renovating school venues to be accessible for people with physical
disabilities through the installation of wheelchair paths, disability-friendly
latrines and the elimination of environmental hazards such as pits and large
rocks. In addition, the project will provide transportation services to help
the children move around and easily access services in the camp.

This pilot project is expected
to continue in 2018, training existing and new staff and identifying more
students through the assessment center. By the end of the two years, all
services of the special needs center will be well established and it will
continue to be a place of hope for the children where they can participate and
thrive within their society.

Reported by Simegnish Mengesha
/Lily/, Masters in Foreign Service Candidate, Georgetown University